Rider dies in firing as bikers clash with cops

The victim was a 19-year-old pillion rider, Karan Pandey, who was hit on the back near Le Meridian hotel on the Janpath stretch.

TNN | Jul 29, 2013, 05.04 AM IST

Karan Pandey, his mother Manju Pandey.

NEW DELHI: The menace of late-night bikers pulling off stunts on city roads led to tragedy early Sunday morning when a pillion rider was killed in police firing as a 50-member biker gang clashed with cops in central Delhi.

The victim was a 19-year-old pillion rider, Karan Pandey, who was hit on the back near Le Meridian hotel on the Janpath stretch. Police claimed that three bullets were fired by Inspector Rajneesh Parmar in self-defence as the bikers were allegedly pelting stones at them, in which three cops were injured.

The first two rounds were fired in the air and the third, according to police, was aimed at the bike's tyre. Witnesses and police said, just then, the biker performed a wheelie, due to which the pillion rider came close to the ground, and in the line of fire.

The bullet pierced through Karan and hit the rider, Puneet Sharma (19), who escaped with minor injuries. They were riding a modified blue Discover bike with two stickers that read 'killer' and 'racer', cops said.

"Police had to resort to firing because the bikers were pelting stones that injured policemen and damaged a PCR van. The bullet was aimed at the tyres but hit the victim because the rider was pulling off a stunt," said Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat.

A magisterial inquiry has been launched into the firing and the National human Rights Commission notifed about it. Cops have registered a case of rioting against the biker gang. Karan's postmortem will be conducted by a medical board on Monday.

Karan Pandey had sneaked out of his house around 11.30pm. He lived with his mother in Khirki Extension, south Delhi. His parents had separated nine years ago. The mother and son lived off the rent they got from a house in Uttam Nagar in west Delhi. Karan had enrolled in open school to take his class XII exam and was doing a computer course.

The drama began around midnight when bikers began to frequent central Delhi areas. In the next hour or so, witnesses said the bikers' numbers swelled to around 200. They rode in groups of 30-40 on various stretches in the area. Police first received information about the menace around 1.15am.

"At 2.05am, a call was received at the control room (100) from a PCR van (Victor 60) that 45-50 bikers were performing stunts and driving dangerously at Gol Dak Khana and were coming down Ashoka Road towards Le Meridian hotel. When the PCR reached Windsor Palace, opposite Le Meridian, cops found the bikers creating a menace," said a senior police officer.

Police tried to stop them were outnumbered. Reinforcements were sought and another PCR (Tiger-22) reached the spot. The bikers smashed the second PCR's window panes with bricks and stones, injuring three policemen who were inside.

Police said Inspector Rajneesh Parmar whipped out his pistol and fired in the air twice asking the bikers to stop their assault. However, the bikers paid little heed. It was then that Parmar aimed at the tyres of one of the bikes.

The rider of the bike, Puneet Sharma, lives with his family in Khirki extension. He had left home telling his father that he was going to the gurdwara and then to the factory where he worked part time. He had passed his class XII from Agra.

As the bullet hit the two riders, they were immediately taken to hospital. Doctors declared Karan dead on arrival while Puneet was admitted. He tested positive for alcohol. Soon, senior police officers reached the spot and investigations were initiated.

A magistrate was informed and two teams went to inform the families of the victims. Puneet's father said he was told about the shooting around 3.28am by one of Puneet's friends. Karan's mother was informed by a team of cops in the morning after they were able to trace his address in his belongings.

By Sunday evening, cops had registered a case of rioting, attacking and obstructing a public servant and destruction of public property against the errant bikers. The cops are now waiting for the autopsy report which will be handed over to the SDM probing the matter.

From Saturday night to the early hours of Sunday, police said they checked 849 bikes at various points in the city. Of these, 107 bikers were challaned and 20 bikes impounded. Police said 10 other errant bikes had been hauled up in the vicinity of the clash. But these riders were let off as news of the shooting came in.

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